Legal
CIBanco, Intercam and Vector: what happens to your fideicomiso
The US named CIBanco, Intercam and Vector, and Mexico's regulator took over the banks. What it means if your property is in a trust with them.
For whom
Foreign owners of Riviera Maya property with a fideicomiso at CIBanco or Intercam.
On June 25, the US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN, named CIBanco, Intercam and Vector as a primary money laundering concern tied to fentanyl trafficking. The measure bars US financial institutions from dealing with them within 21 days.
The next day, Mexico's banking regulator, the CNBV, ordered a temporary management intervention at CIBanco and Intercam, and Vector was added that same night. The interventors replace management with the goal of protecting savers and clients, and the banks continue to operate.
If you are a foreigner who bought on the coast, your fideicomiso may be with one of these banks.
What your fideicomiso is and why it matters here
In a real estate fideicomiso, the bank holds title to the property, but not for its own business: it holds it to carry out the purpose of the contract, which is for you to use it, rent it or sell it. Article 386 of Mexico's General Law of Negotiable Instruments and Credit Operations says that assets in a trust are dedicated to that purpose and that the trustee must record them separately from its own assets.
That does not mean there is nothing to do. It means your property is not mixed with the bank's own assets.
What to do today
- Locate your trust agreement, your deed and the receipts for the annual trust fees.
- Do not sign or pay anything to anyone offering to "rescue" or "move" your fideicomiso urgently. Changing banks is done before a notary and with the required permits.
- Read the official communications from your bank and from the CNBV before making decisions.
- If you are about to sell or buy with a fideicomiso at one of these banks, ask your notary how it affects signing times.
- If it later becomes necessary to change trustees, a fideicomiso can move to another bank. It is a procedure, not a loss of the property.
Our take
In 20 years we have closed many purchases through fideicomisos. This is the kind of news that scares more than it changes for an owner whose paperwork is in order. What matters today is having your documents at hand and not deciding in a hurry.
If you want to understand what a fideicomiso costs and how it works, we explain it in this guide.
If your fideicomiso is with CIBanco or Intercam and you have questions, send us the contract details and we will tell you what to review with your notary.
Sources
- CNBV, June 26, 2025: temporary management intervention at CI Banco and Intercam Banco (in Spanish)
- El Financiero, June 26, 2025: the CNBV takes control of CIBanco, Intercam and Vector after the US accusation (in Spanish)
- Chamber of Deputies: General Law of Negotiable Instruments and Credit Operations (in Spanish)